CLEVELAND — For more than four decades, Sister Corita Ambro and the St. Augustine Hunger Center have served families in need in Greater Cleveland a warm Thanksgiving meal. Now with Ambro and Father Joseph McNulty retiring, the holiday tradition has been passed on to Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance Services (EAS).
And this year, the organization is in desperate need of volunteers to help for two different days. On November 13, people are needed to prepare food for about 20,000 people that EAS will freeze for distribution.
"The program can't run without volunteers," said Sister Corita Ambro. "It's so important there are so many poor people out there who can't cook a turkey dinner for themselves and we are the only ones who can do it for them and take it to them."
Volunteers can choose one of these four sites to help out:
· St. Augustine Hunger Center, Tremont
· Bishop Cosgrove Center, Cleveland
· Camp Christopher, Bath
· St. Martin de Porres Family Center, Cleveland
The four sites need help for the following shifts: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m., 12 p.m. -3 p.m. and 3 p.m.-5 p.m. The final 2-hour shift will be primarily clean-up and possibly transporting cooked, deboned turkeys back to St. Augustine Hunger Center.
On Thanksgiving Day, EAS needs multiple volunteer drivers to help deliver meals. Volunteer drivers should arrive at Barrons at 5310 Hauserman Road, Cleveland, OH 44130 at 10:00 a.m. to have their cars loaded. Catholic Charities will provide additional information on deliveries following registration.
"Those are the volunteers that I need to take the meals to the people who need the food to eat," said Sister Corita Ambro.
Servers are also needed to assist at the hunger center. Those wishing to serve meals at St. Augustine Hunger Center should arrive at 8:30 a.m., with service beginning at 11:00 a.m.
"It really is very important to have volunteers that day," said Sister Corita Ambro. "They're the people that give to the people the food that makes them happy."
If you are interested in volunteering, please visit http://www.ccdocle.org/thanksgiving to complete the volunteer form, call 216.377.3725, or email EAS at holidays@ccdocle.org.
